Although it dominates certain sectors, such as connected watches or tablets, Apple has difficulty establishing itself in the field of home automation. The firm offers its HomePod connected speakers, but these products cannot compete with products from Amazon or Google. And according to rumors, Apple now intends to offer connected screens, similar to Amazon’s Echo Show screens or Google’s Nest Hub. There has been a lot of information circulating on this subject on the web for a while.
A design inspired by the iMac G4?
Furthermore, in his latest newsletter, Mark Gurman, journalist at Bloomberg, gives new details. According to him, the development of this new category of Apple products is on track. The device would have a square-shaped screen, the size of which would be comparable to that of two iPhone screens. Gurman also indicates that the device would be placed on a small base which could recall the support of the iMac G4, a PC that Apple launched in 2002 and which marked the industry thanks to its atypical design.
The device would use an entirely new operating system, with some apps reminiscent of the iPad, like FaceTime, Notes, etc. But its primary function would be the control of connected devices in the home.
A compact and affordable product
Otherwise, Mark Gurman emphasizes that this first connected screen should be affordable. Its small size allowed it to be placed almost anywhere in the house. The launch would be planned for next year. Then, Apple would offer a more high-end product whose price would be close to $1,000 in the United States. And the particularity of this high-end connected screen would be its robotic support, which would allow the screen to orient itself by following the user as they move around the house. The device could, for example, be a perfect tool for video conferencing.
- Apple would prepare a connected screen similar to Amazon’s Echo Show and Google’s Nest Hub
- According to a publication by Mark Gurman, the design of this screen could be reminiscent of the iMac G4, a computer that Apple offered in the 2000s
- The launch of this product could take place in 2025 and it could have an affordable price
- But Apple would also prepare a more high-end connected screen, which would have robotic support